Monthly Archives: July 2012

NOVAVAX, CPL Biologicals and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Announce Collaboration …

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ROCKVILLE, Md., July 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novavax, Inc. (NVAX), CPL Biologicals (CPLB) and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), today announced that they have formed a new collaboration to develop a novel malaria vaccine in India. This unique public-private partnership will combine the advanced vaccine technology of Novavax with the malaria vaccine research capabilities of ICGEB and vaccine manufacturing capability of CPLB, to develop a new and effective malaria vaccine. The project is being funded by India's Department of Biotechnology Vaccine Grand Challenge Program and will be managed by the Malaria Vaccine Development Program, a New Delhi-based not-for-profit organization established to support the development of malaria vaccines.

Novavax's virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine technology platform will be applied to construct malaria vaccine candidates, which CPLB will manufacture for advanced preclinical studies, clinical trials and commercialization. The partners will develop and evaluate VLPs that express Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), which has been used to develop the only recombinant malaria vaccine that has shown efficacy in field trials. After establishing the feasibility of Novavax's technology, the partners will explore the possibility of producing additional VLPs against antigens from other stages of malaria parasites. The partners believe a multi-stage VLP malaria vaccine has the potential for higher efficacy compared to vaccines based on a single antigen or that target only one stage of the malaria parasite.

Malaria remains a major public health problem in many regions of the tropical world. Forty percent of the world's population lives in malaria endemic regions of Africa, Asia and Central and South America. Despite the widespread use of insecticides, bed nets and other malaria control efforts, there are approximately 210 million cases of malaria each year that lead to around 650,000 deaths, primarily in children less than five years of age. There is an urgent need for malaria vaccines with high efficacy that can be used in conjunction with other control efforts to provide protection against malaria.

Dr. Virander Chauhan, Ph.D., Director of ICGEB, New Delhi, which will provide their extensive experience in pre-clinical and clinical development of vaccines, said, "ICGEB is excited about the possibility of working with Novavax and CPLB to advance malaria vaccine development."

Indravadan A Modi, Chairman of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said, "CPLB will develop manufacturing processes for the vaccine candidates and will provide GMP production capability in support of this initiative." He also stated, "Malaria is a common health problem for tropical countries and efforts have been ongoing for years for its eradication. I am confident that a multi-stage VLP malaria vaccine will prove beneficial in saving precious lives by restricting morbidity and mortality associated with malaria."

Dr. Gale Smith, Novavax's Vice President Vaccine Development, stated: "Novavax is honored to be working with leading malaria experts at ICGEB and with the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India to support the development and production of malaria vaccine candidates by Novavax and CPLB. By combining our knowledge and experience with these partners to pursue the most advanced malaria vaccine concepts, we hope to one day have an effective vaccine against one of the world's most devastating diseases."

About Novavax

Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company creating novel vaccines to address a broad range of infectious diseases worldwide. Using innovative virus-like particle (VLP) and recombinant nanoparticle vaccine technology, as well as new and efficient manufacturing approaches, the company produces novel vaccine candidates to combat diseases, with the goal of allowing countries to better prepare for and more effectively respond to rapidly spreading infections. Novavax is committed to using its technology platforms to create geographic-specific vaccine solutions and is therefore involved in several international partnerships, including collaborations with Cadila Pharmaceuticals of India and LG Life Sciences of Korea. Together, these companies have worldwide commercialization capacity and the global reach to create real and lasting change in the biopharmaceutical field. Additional information about Novavax is available on the company's website: http://www.novavax.com.

About CPLB

CPL Biologicals Pvt. Ltd., a joint-venture biotechnology company established by Novavax Inc. and Cadila Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest privately held pharmaceutical companies in India based in Ahmedabad, manufactures VLP-based influenza vaccines developed by Novavax. CPLB has made rapid progress with the completion and validation of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which is now operational and capable of producing a significant volume of novel vaccine doses every year. This facility utilizes the identical single-use vaccine bioprocessing system that Novavax employs at its pilot plant in Rockville, Maryland.

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NOVAVAX, CPL Biologicals and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Announce Collaboration ...

China Genetic Engineering Drug Industry Report, 2011-2012

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NEW YORK, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

China Genetic Engineering Drug Industry Report, 2011-2012

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0934677/China-Genetic-Engineering-Drug-Industry-Report-2011-2012.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Biopharma

China gets a late start in developing genetic engineering drug industry, but has achieved leapfrog advance. At present, China has at least one hundred enterprises involved in genetic engineering drugs. In recent years, the compound growth rate of genetic engineering drug market in China is as high as 49%, with an average gross margin of more than 80%. However, the technology strength and efficacy of locally produced genetic engineering drugs are relatively weak. In particular, the pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) for injection of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited that approved for marketing in March 2012 is the only homemade long-acting protein product. Still, due to the impetus of huge market capacity as well as a package of preferential policies, many domestic enterprises, including GeneScience Pharmaceuticals, Amoytop and Anhui Anke Biotechnology, are accelerating the industrialized research of long-acting protein drugs.

Monoclonal antibody is one of the most promising genetic engineering drugs. As of May 2012, SFDA approved the marketing of a total of 18 monoclonal antibody drugs. Among these drugs, nearly 60% are foreign brands including Roche, Merck and Novartis with the combined sales accounting for three fourths of the Chinese monoclonal antibody drug market. However, with the marketing of monoclonal antibody drugs made by companies such as Shanghai CP Guojian Pharmaceutical and Biotech Pharmaceutical, the market share of homemade monoclonal antibody industry is on the rise gradually.

In addition, recombinant human erythropoietin, recombinant human interferon, recombinant human growth hormone, recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and recombinant human insulin are among the important genetic engineering drugs. As of late 2011, China had roughly 20 recombinant EPO manufacturers that approved for marketing of related products. In particular, as former EPO preparation exporters to China, enterprises including America-based Amgen and Germany-based Boehringer Mannheim GmbH have withdrawn from the Chinese market owning to low price competition. Presently, the Chinese EPO market is dominated by domestic manufacturers including 3SBio Inc. and DIAO Group. In 2011, the sales of 3SBio Inc. accounted for 42.7% in China's EPO market. As such, impacted by channel, price competition and other factors, recombinant human growth hormone and recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor markets are also dominated by domestic enterprises.

In the recombinant human interferon market, the high-performance long-acting interferon of Schering-Plough and Roche still maintained huge consumption in Chinese market in spite of the high prices. In recent years, the market share of imported long-acting interferon has remained at 60% or so in China.

Moreover, due to improving economic level and raising awareness of people, foreign-branded recombinant human insulin in Chinese market are predominant, occupying 90% market share in the corresponding period.

Although China lags behind in terms of the overall level of genetic engineering drugs, the industry has accumulated rich R&D and industrialization experience as well as capital reserves. Thus, with a host of genetic engineering drug patents to become due, Chinese enterprises, such as Walvax, are committed to the industrialization research of monoclonal antibody, long-acting recombinant protein drugs and other generic drugs with high technical barriers. On April 26th, 2012, Walvax announced to invest in Shanghai Fengmao in next four years to develop and produce genetic engineering generic drugs including rituximab, bevacizumab, adalimumab, panitumumab, denosumab and long-acting EPO.

Papermaking

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China Genetic Engineering Drug Industry Report, 2011-2012

Graphic novel stars Nicola Tesla, inventor of AC power and an oddball physicist

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(Helios Entertainment) - Cover, The Inventor by Rave Mehta and Erik Williams.

The Inventor, Helios Entertainment

Hey, they say that the truth is stranger. In The Inventor, part-time writer and full-time engineer Rave Mehta and artist Erik Williams have crafted a graphic novel based on the life of Nikola Tesla, the oddball physicist and futurist, born in 1856, who developed modern alternating current (AC power).

While he never possessed super powers, the real-life Tesla was just about as quirky as any fictional mad scientist, particularly in his later years, when he tried to convince Great Britain to fund him in the development of a death ray. (He was unsuccessful.) In fact, Tesla was such a bizarre and compelling person that he has frequently been recruited to be a character in fictional works, including the historical fantasy novel and film The Prestige and the sci-fi TV series Sanctuary.

But even though The Inventor is told through highly dramatic, superhero-worthy artwork, Mehta and Williams stick to the facts, following the inventor from his origins in Serbia through his immigration to the United States and his rivalry with inventor Thomas Edison. Tesla came to this country with a few dollars and a dream, Mehta recently told Wired magazines Underwire blog. The material, emotional and spiritual battles he endured are what The Inventor is about.

Aaron Leitko

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Graphic novel stars Nicola Tesla, inventor of AC power and an oddball physicist

Freedom Singers still performing in Albany

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Sean Streicher

Sean Streicher joined FOX 31 in May 2012 as a reporter for the nightly newscast.

The freedom singers perform at the Civil Rights Institute the second Saturday of every month. /Sean Streicher

People who visited theAlbany Civil Rights Institutethis weekend had the privilegeof listening tothe "Freedom Singers" perform.

Originally formed in 1962 in the City of Albany, the freedom singer preformed at civil rights events both nationally and internationally. They even performed at Martin Luther Kings I have a dream Speech.

A tour guide to the institution, Trenton Andrews said, This is a benevolent way of involving the community as far as a historical aspect of what occurred in the 1960's as well as getting the community involved with it now.

The freedom singers perform at the Civil Rights Institute the second Saturday of every month at 1 o'clock.

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Freedom Singers still performing in Albany

Freedom High School boys capture Stellar basketball tournament title

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Joe Stellato wasn't expecting his Freedom High School team to make a run for the Stellar "Catch A Rising Star" Boys Basketball Tournament title this past weekend.

"We didn't have a good summer and we were in a tough bracket," Stellato said. "It was a surprise we came out of our bracket undefeated (5-0)."

Freedom defeated Parkland in the semifinals, then rallied from an 11-point deficit in the championship game to beat Easton 36-33. Senior Derike Chiclana earned tournament MVP honors. Classmate Nyreef Jackson was chosen to the tournament's second team.

"Derike and Nyreef were the only starters we had coming back," Stellato said. "The newcomers starting were Maceo Connor (senior), (juniors) Nigel Long and David Williams. They really stepped it up. We didn't know what they were capable of doing. We weren't sure what we had.

"Coming off the bench were (seniors) Brian Uliana and Andrew Arner. They played a lot of minutes for us."

Freedom defeated Phillipsburg, Whitehall, Trinity, Berks County and Pocono Mountain West in its bracket. The victory over Trinity was in double overtime and gave Stellato the belief that perhaps his team could win the tournament.

"We were down three with 10 seconds to go and Nyreef hit a huge 3 to send it to overtime," Stellato said. "Then we were down six in the overtime and David Williams hits a 3 to send it to the second overtime and we went on to win. Trinity was one of the better teams in the tournament."

Freedom followed with a last-second win against Berks, then rallied against Pocono Mountain West to capture the B bracket.

"It seemed that we just kept finding ways to win the entire weekend," Stellato said.

Freedom next faced Parkland, which fought its way out of the losers bracket but came into the game at less than 100 percent.

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Freedom High School boys capture Stellar basketball tournament title

Ohio beaches among the dirtiest

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A national report paints a dismal picture of Ohios beaches, ranking them among the dirtiest in the country.

The Natural Resources Defense Council report says Ohios beaches rank 29th in cleanliness, among 30 states.

In 2011, about 22 percent of the samples taken from designated beach areas in Ohio exceeded national standards, according to the report.

The report does not mention heavy rainfall made 2011 a particularly bad year for polluted rainwater runoff in Ohio. Flood waters overwhelmed sewage treatment systems in Sandusky, Port Clinton and other communities along the lake last year.

That high runoff contributed to last years harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie the worst in many years.

So far, 2012 has seen much less rainfall, and the harmful algal bloom in the lake is expected to be much smaller.

The resources council pegs a beach in Vermilion as perhaps the worst in the state.

Stated the report: The beaches with the highest percent exceedance rates of the state standard in 2011 were Edson Creek in Erie County (52 percent); Lakeview Beach in Lorain County (51 percent); and Villa Angela State Park (50 percent), Edgecliff Beach (50 percent), Moss Point Beach (47 percent), and Sims Beach (47 percent) in Cuyahoga County.

The resources council has said its report analyzes contamination from animal and human waste.

Beaches in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and New York were among the top 15 repeat offenders, with high bacteria counts for many years, the council stated in a release.

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Ohio beaches among the dirtiest

Indian astronomy satellite to study universe at multi-wavelengths

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Calcutta News.net Monday 16th July, 2012

Astrosat, the $50 million astronomy satellite India will put in polar circular orbit in 2013, will study the universe at multi-wavelengths for the first time, a senior space agency official said.

"The Astrosat mission will study for the first time the cosmic sources of the vast universe at optical, ultraviolet and X-ray wavebands simultaneously," state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientific secretary V. Koteshwar Rao told IANS here.

The 1.6-tonne satellite will be launched from the Sriharikota spaceport off the Bay of Bengal coast in Andhra Pradesh, about 90km northeast of Chennai, onboard a 300-tonne rocket with five scientific instruments to study at multiple wavelengths.

The instruments include a soft X-ray telescope, an ultraviolet imaging telescope, an imager and a sky scanning monitor.

"Unlike astronomical satellites of other countries, Astrosat will study visible to high-energy X-ray emissions from celestial objects on a single platform, take the highest angular resolution imaging in ultraviolet and measure short-term variation of X-ray emissions," Rao said at a space summit here, about 150 km from Karnataka capital Bangalore.

A five-year delay has escalated the mission cost to Rs.270 crore (nearly $50 million), including the satellite to Rs.180 crore and the rocket Rs.90 crore.

A wavelength is a unit of measurement indicating the distance between the peak of one wave and the next. As forms of electromagnetic radiation, they make unique patterns in shapes and lengths as they travel through space.

"Most astronomical objects emit radiation spanning the electromagnetic spectrum from long wavelength radio waves to very short wavelength gamma rays. Simultaneous observation of the multi-wavelengths will enable us to understand the physical processes behind the phenomenon," Rao pointed out.

Orbiting at 650 km from the earth with a five-year lifespan, the satellite will conduct major investigations across visible, UV, soft and hard X-ray bands to find out the source of radiation, study magnetic fields on neutron stars, search for sources of black holes and scan the farthest regions of the universe.

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Indian astronomy satellite to study universe at multi-wavelengths

Roger A. Bell, astronomy professor

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He played key role in developing University of Maryland's astronomy program into its own department Roger Alistair Bell, a University of Maryland professor of astronomy who specialized in the discovery of physical properties and compositions of stars, died July 1 of complications from Alzheimer's disease at the Dove House in Westminster. The Ashton resident was 76.

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Roger A. Bell, astronomy professor

BAFacts: Halfway there! | Bad Astronomy

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On January 4, 2012, I posted my first BAFact: a short astronomy fact that was brief enough to put on Twitter but informative enough to be interesting. I posted the first one on perihelion the point in Earths orbit when its closest to the Sun and the last one will be a year later.

Because 2012 is a leap year with 366 days, July 5th was the 184th day: the first day of the second half of the year. That means Im more than halfway done!* Appropriately enough, heres the July 5 BAFact:

I post the BAFacts on Twitter, Google+ (where I can flesh them out a bit more and add pictures since theres no character limit), and have a complete archive of them on the blog as well. With 180+ already in the bag, reading those should keep you busy for a while!

I generally link them to previous blog posts dealing with the topic in question, but not always. Ive actually been surprised at how difficult it can be to reduce a topic to 100 or so characters (leaving room for the leading "#BAFact: " and shortened link, plus room for retweets), and how that limits some topics. I have also been surprised to find out I havent written about some topics! For example, I was thinking recently of making a BAFact about the nearest known black hole, Cygnus X-1, and discovered I had literally never even mentioned it in a blog post! Thats weird but by coincidence that got fixed just this last weekend.

So this exercise in brevity has given me new things to write about. Ill note that there have been arguments over the accuracy of some of the BAFacts, too. Sometimes thats just due to having to be so brief that the description might be misleading if you dont click the link; I struggle with those but usually make them as clear as possible, and hope people actually read the post to clarify. And once I really did just make a mistake; as I recently mentioned I didnt know that recent research had found that zodiacal light is mostly from comet dust and not asteroid collisions, and had to post an immediate correction! But thats OK; I love learning new things, too.

So as we enter the second half of these, I hope you keep up with them and enjoy them. And if you have a beef with them, find a mistake, have something to add, or know of a good picture or story relating to them, follow it up with a tweet of your own! The whole point here is to have fun and learn things. Which, when it comes to science, are exactly the same.

* Well, kinda. Perihelion is actually on January 2, 2013, roughly a day earlier than usual because we have an extra calendar day this year. The Earth orbits the Sun not caring at all for our calendrical contrivances, so when the time comes Ill decide whether to post the last BAFact based on the Earths orbit our roughly-hewn measurement of it.

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BAFacts: Halfway there! | Bad Astronomy

Artificial Intelligence Becoming Fantasy Football Reality

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University of Southampton researchers are fine-tuning an artificial intelligence system they say will give them a leg up in the English Fantasy Football League when the Premier League soccer season kicks off in August.

RELATED: Tech of the Future, Today: Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence

In tests at the university's Electronics and Computer Science program, the researchers' artificial soccer team manager has ranked on average in the top 1% of 2.5 million players. The AI system, outlined in a paper that is being presented at an AI conference in Toronto this month and based on Ph.D. student Tim Matthews' dissertation, gets its smarts from algorithms that analyze players' weekly and season stats.

The researchers plan to use the AI system in tandem with human insights (their own) to compete in the Premier League fantasy game.

"Our previous tests have shown that a machine working on its own will perform better than millions of humans. But a machine can't take into consideration if a player is injured (and still plays), has low morale or has personal issues and may not perform at his best," says Sarvapali Ramchurn, lecturer in computer science.

Also in the works: a Web app that will share its wisdom with other players and allow them to compete against it.

AI has been used by other researchers to predict sports results. For example, Georgia Institute of Technology researchers annually tout their Logistic Regression Markov Chain system for making NCAA men's basketball tournament picks.

Bob Brown tracks network research in his Alpha Doggs blog and Facebook page, as well on Twitter and Google +.

Read more about data center in Network World's Data Center section.

For more information about enterprise networking, go to NetworkWorld. Story copyright 2011 Network World Inc. All rights reserved.

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Artificial Intelligence Becoming Fantasy Football Reality

ERP Software Woes Ding Aerospace Company's Profits

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Aerospace and energy system components manufacturer Woodward is the latest company to see its profits hurt by costs associated with an ERP (enterprise resource planning) software project, according to an announcement it made.

Woodward issued preliminary numbers for its fiscal third quarter on Monday, warning investors that profits would fall short of expectations, in part due to "ERP system-related issues that have been addressed."

The company expects to deliver profits of $0.40 per share in the quarter and US$460 million in revenue, according to the announcement. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters on average had predicted $0.60 per share and roughly $491 million in revenue. Woodward will issue full third-quarter results on July 23.

Woodward's aerospace division's performance was hurt by the ERP system problems, as well as by "lower defense sales, and a lower growth rate than anticipated in commercial aftermarket sales," the company said.

The division "has been awarded a substantial number of significant new system programs," it added. "Many of the programs have expanded more than anticipated in both content and complexity, requiring increased new product development and production process investments. This increased investment coupled with lower sales volumes created unanticipated earnings pressure."

Woodward's stock fell 5.83 percent to $33.95 in midday trading on Monday.

The exact nature of the ERP system difficulties, as well as the brand of software being used, wasn't immediately clear on Monday. A Woodward spokeswoman didn't reply to a request for additional information.

However, the project seems to have been substantial in scope. Between Sept. 30, 2010 and Sept. 30 of last year, Woodward recognized roughly $13.5 million in costs linked to the system's development, according to the company's 2011 annual report.

ERP systems are generally put in place with the goal of saving money over time. But companies often experience a range of problems during projects, including cost and time overruns and difficulties stabilizing the new software once it goes live.

The software itself isn't always to blame. Problems can result from factors such as inadequate testing before the new system is turned on, ineffective employee training, inexperienced project consultants and changes to the scope of the project after it is begun.

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ERP Software Woes Ding Aerospace Company's Profits

Industrial Nanotech, Inc. Announces Continuing Increase in Orders for Nansulate(R) Crystal, the Company’s Patented …

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NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets:INTK), an emerging global leader in nanotechnology based energy saving and sustainable solutions announced increased demand this year for their patented Nansulate(R) Crystal clear insulating and mold resistant roof coating. This coating offers a clear alternative to the increasingly popular idea of using white roof coatings to increase building energy efficiency, providing a great solution for building roofs made of decorative concrete roof tile and all colors of asphalt shingle roof tile, allowing the customer to enjoy the benefits of energy savings and mold/mildew resistance and added UV protection without changing the appearance of the roof of their home or commercial building. Nansulate(R) Crystal nanotechnology-based coating offers an advancement to this concept by reducing direct heat conduction rather than simply reflecting the suns rays, which allows it to be effective in all climates, reducing winter heating costs as well as summer cooling costs.

Some of our recent sales include Nansulate(R) Crystal for two church properties in the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico totaling 77,900 S.F. of roof surface, residential applications throughout the United States from California to Florida, industrial retail sales, and demand internationally from countries like the UK, Brunei, China, and Thailand. The robust increase in sales during the first half of this year reinforces our updated marketing strategy for Crystal, which included a new website and product branding, direct to consumer and business mail and media campaigns, as well as other initiatives for brand awareness, stated Francesca Crolley, VP of Business Development for Industrial Nanotech, Inc. The combination of benefits that this roof coating provides are unique, and we are seeing it increasingly adopted in commercial, institutional, and residential settings. Our technology is clear, which is a tremendous benefit over the competition because it adds energy savings to a roof without changing the color and also offers the benefits of mold and fungi resistance, UV resistance, and moisture/weathering resistance. The coating is easily applied and is low VOC and eco-friendly. We expect this product to continue to gain marketshare in the popular cool roof arena which is touted for its energy savings by the U.S. Department of Energy, among others, while also expanding the market for insulating roof coatings by offering a technology that can save energy for those in northern/colder climates as well as southern.

In a recent release, Coatings for Commercial and Residential Roofing: The North American Market (AVM076A) from BCC Research, the North American market for roof coatings was worth $750 million in 2011 and is projected to be valued at $984 million in 2016, a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%.

About Nansulate(R)

Nansulate(R) is the Company's patented product line of award winning, specialty coatings containing a nanotechnology based material and which are well-documented to provide the combined performance qualities of thermal insulation, corrosion prevention, resistance to mold growth, fire resistance, chemical resistance and lead encapsulation in an environmentally safe, water-based, coating formulation. The Nansulate(R) Product Line includes industrial, residential, agricultural and solar thermal insulation coatings. Additional information about the Company and its products can be found at their websites, (www.inanotk.com) and (www.nansulate.com). Blog: http://www.nansulate.com/nanoblog, Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NanoPioneer, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nansulate.

About Industrial Nanotech Inc.

Industrial Nanotech Inc. is a global nanoscience solutions and research leader and member of the U.S. Green Building Council. The Company develops and commercializes new and innovative applications for sustainable nanotechnology which are sold worldwide.

Safe Harbor Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic and business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

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Visionary NE3I — Nanotechnology Employment, Education, and Economic Development Initiative — Chooses NanoProfessor …

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SKOKIE, IL--(Marketwire -07/16/12)- NanoProfessor, a division of NanoInk, Inc. focused on nanotechnology education, announced that the newly launched Nanotechnology Employment, Education, and Economic Development Initiative (NE3I) has chosen the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program to serve as the cornerstone of its educational activities, with the goal of making nanotechnology education accessible for high school and community college students in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

The NE3I is a partnership between the Village of Skokie, Oakton Community College (Oakton), the Illinois Science + Technology Park (IS+TP), and NSERVE, which is a consortium of nine local high schools representing approximately 24,000 secondary students. Oakton recently received a $250,000 grant from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust to support the launch of the NE3I; and that grant was matched by the Village of Skokie, using funds from the Village's Downtown Science + Technology Park Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District.

"NanoProfessor is a global leader in undergraduate nanotechnology education, working with universities, community colleges, and high schools around the world to provide students with the necessary skills and real-world experiences needed to succeed in the fast growing nanotechnology industry," said Dean Hart, Chief Commercial Officer at NanoInk. "We commend Mayor Van Dusen, the Village of Skokie, Oakton Community College, the Illinois Science + Technology Park, NSERVE, and the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust for their collaborative and visionary efforts in establishing Skokie and the surrounding communities as leaders in nanotechnology education."

"The NE3I partner organizations share a common goal of training 125 to 300 local students each year to address a growing and documented need for a nano-savvy work force at the Illinois Science + Technology Park and other northern Illinois locations," said Skokie Mayor, George Van Dusen. "I am grateful to the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust for supporting the initiative, and am pleased that the Village of Skokie has the resources to contribute to this important jobs training initiative. With a locally trained, professional nanotechnology work force, it is expected that additional nanotechnology firms will establish a presence at the Illinois Science + Technology Park and regionally throughout northern Illinois."

"The nanotechnology field is growing rapidly and as it does, technicians will play an increasingly important role in the lab," said Oakton Community College President, Margaret B. Lee, Ph.D. "We're excited to be working with NanoProfessor and the NE3I group because ultimately this partnership will help meet that need and create a skilled workforce -- and career pathways for our students."

Oakton's Departments of Math, Technologies, Science, and Health Careers will lead the NE3I's nanotechnology training curriculum, which will build upon the strong foundation provided by the existing curriculum from NanoProfessor. The NE3I will be housed at the IS+TP in Skokie and is expected to be available to students through Oakton in spring 2013.

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions between approximately one and 100 nanometers (nm), where unique phenomena enable novel applications which are not feasible when working with bulk materials. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at the nanoscale. A study funded by the National Science Foundation projects that six million nanotechnology workers will be needed worldwide by 2020, with two million of those jobs in the United States. However, as of 2008, there were only 400,000 estimated workers worldwide in the field of nanotechnology, with an estimated 150,000 of those jobs in the United States.

The NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program alternates between classroom lectures and hands-on lab work. The curriculum includes a textbook authored by leading nanotechnology experts, covering the topics of Nanotechnology Basics, Nanophysics, Nanochemistry, Nanobiology, and Environmental, Health, and Safety perspectives on nanotechnology. In conducting the hands-on lab experiments, students learn the fundamentals for building custom-engineered nanoscale structures while working with state-of-the-art equipment including NanoInk's NLP 2000 Desktop NanoFabrication System, a student-friendly atomic force microscope (AFM), a best-of-class fluorescence microscope, an advanced nanoparticle characterization instrument, and various chemical and biological materials used today within current and emerging nanotechnology applications.

About NanoProfessor The NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program aims to advance undergraduate nanotechnology education and address the growing need for a skilled, nano savvy work force. The NanoProfessor Program, including instruments, an expert-driven curriculum, and student/teacher support materials, is available for high schools, community colleges, technical institutes, and universities worldwide. More information is available at http://www.NanoProfessor.net or (847)679-NANO (6266). You can also like NanoProfessor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NanoProfessor1 and follow on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nanoprofessor1.

NanoInk, NanoProfessor, and the NanoProfessor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NanoInk, Inc.

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Visionary NE3I -- Nanotechnology Employment, Education, and Economic Development Initiative -- Chooses NanoProfessor ...

CSU medical school support snowballing

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AN online campaign supporting Charles Sturt Universitys push for a medical school is closing in on its target of 25,000 supporters on its Facebook page.

Almost 17,000 people have now liked CSUs Doctors For The Bush page, supporting a campaign to bring more general practitioners to country areas and establishing a new medical school.

Thousands have also signed an online petition that states: I call on the Federal and NSW Governments to back CSUs plan to establish a Health and Medical Education Precinct in rural NSW and commit to providing $98 million in funding and 80 medical student places to make this a reality.

The online campaign is the latest plank in CSUs bid to pressure state and federal MPs to back CSUs ongoing push for an integrated medical school across the Bathurst and Orange campuses.

It would be a huge boost to both the reputation of the university and to regional health services, with figures showing that doctors who train in the bush are more likely to remain working in the bush after they graduate.

CSU has already submitted a detailed funding proposal to the Federal Government but though Coalition MPs at a state and federal level have been happy to pledge their support, the university has so far been unable to convince Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean of the plans benefits.

CSU last week confirmed NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner had formally invited the university to start negotiations with the government on the student numbers, medical training requirements and infrastructure for a new medical school at CSU.

This is fantastic news, a post on the Facebook page said.

However, this is just a first step as final approval for a new school must be granted by the Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek.

Help us to show the government what rural people want. Today we start a campaign to get 25,000 signatures on our petition and 25,000 supporters on Facebook.

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CSU medical school support snowballing

Research and Markets: Clinical Chemistry Market Report & Forecast (2012 – 2015): Global Analysis – China Set to Double …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/m7b92s/clinical_chemistry) has announced the addition of the "Clinical Chemistry Market Report & Forecast (2012 - 2015): Global Analysis" report to their offering.

Valued at more than US$ 9 Billion in 2011, Clinical Chemistry market is likely to grow moderately from 2012 to 2015. In Clinical Chemistry Tests segment: Toxicology, Hemoglobin and Cholesterol testing contributed more than 40% of market revenues in 2011, and in future also they are likely to dominate the market till 2015. Faecal Occult Blood testing market, Cardiac Enzyme testing market and Prothrombin Time/International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR) testing market all these three testing markets are expected to grow with double digit CAGR from 2012 - 1015.

In countries analysis segment, United States and Europe together holds more than 85% market share in 2011. But by 2015 China is expected to nearly double its market revenue from 2011; thus reducing the market share of Europe in worldwide Clinical Chemistry market by 2015. Brazil Clinical Chemistry market is bigger than India but it is expected to grow with a CAGR of single digit compared to double digit of India from 2012 - 2015. In the coming years, the Clinical Chemistry market will undertake important change. These changes will be caused by the convergence of new and more stringent regulations, advances in diagnostic technologies, automation, IT and intensifying competition.

Renub Research report entitled Clinical Chemistry Market Report & Forecast (2012 - 2015): Global Analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of the nine clinical chemistry tests market & reviews, analyses and projects clinical chemistry market for global and seven countries market. The report also provides market landscape and market share information in the clinical chemistry market. The report also entails major drivers and challenges of clinical chemistry market.

Tests Covered

- Blood Gas & Electrolyte Test

- Cardiac Enzyme Test

- Faecal Occult Blood Test

- Drugs of Abuse Test

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Research and Markets: Clinical Chemistry Market Report & Forecast (2012 - 2015): Global Analysis - China Set to Double ...

NOVAVAX, CPL Biologicals and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Announce Collaboration …

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ROCKVILLE, Md., July 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novavax, Inc. (NVAX), CPL Biologicals (CPLB) and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), today announced that they have formed a new collaboration to develop a novel malaria vaccine in India. This unique public-private partnership will combine the advanced vaccine technology of Novavax with the malaria vaccine research capabilities of ICGEB and vaccine manufacturing capability of CPLB, to develop a new and effective malaria vaccine. The project is being funded by India's Department of Biotechnology Vaccine Grand Challenge Program and will be managed by the Malaria Vaccine Development Program, a New Delhi-based not-for-profit organization established to support the development of malaria vaccines.

Novavax's virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine technology platform will be applied to construct malaria vaccine candidates, which CPLB will manufacture for advanced preclinical studies, clinical trials and commercialization. The partners will develop and evaluate VLPs that express Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), which has been used to develop the only recombinant malaria vaccine that has shown efficacy in field trials. After establishing the feasibility of Novavax's technology, the partners will explore the possibility of producing additional VLPs against antigens from other stages of malaria parasites. The partners believe a multi-stage VLP malaria vaccine has the potential for higher efficacy compared to vaccines based on a single antigen or that target only one stage of the malaria parasite.

Malaria remains a major public health problem in many regions of the tropical world. Forty percent of the world's population lives in malaria endemic regions of Africa, Asia and Central and South America. Despite the widespread use of insecticides, bed nets and other malaria control efforts, there are approximately 210 million cases of malaria each year that lead to around 650,000 deaths, primarily in children less than five years of age. There is an urgent need for malaria vaccines with high efficacy that can be used in conjunction with other control efforts to provide protection against malaria.

Dr. Virander Chauhan, Ph.D., Director of ICGEB, New Delhi, which will provide their extensive experience in pre-clinical and clinical development of vaccines, said, "ICGEB is excited about the possibility of working with Novavax and CPLB to advance malaria vaccine development."

Indravadan A Modi, Chairman of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said, "CPLB will develop manufacturing processes for the vaccine candidates and will provide GMP production capability in support of this initiative." He also stated, "Malaria is a common health problem for tropical countries and efforts have been ongoing for years for its eradication. I am confident that a multi-stage VLP malaria vaccine will prove beneficial in saving precious lives by restricting morbidity and mortality associated with malaria."

Dr. Gale Smith, Novavax's Vice President Vaccine Development, stated: "Novavax is honored to be working with leading malaria experts at ICGEB and with the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India to support the development and production of malaria vaccine candidates by Novavax and CPLB. By combining our knowledge and experience with these partners to pursue the most advanced malaria vaccine concepts, we hope to one day have an effective vaccine against one of the world's most devastating diseases."

About Novavax

Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company creating novel vaccines to address a broad range of infectious diseases worldwide. Using innovative virus-like particle (VLP) and recombinant nanoparticle vaccine technology, as well as new and efficient manufacturing approaches, the company produces novel vaccine candidates to combat diseases, with the goal of allowing countries to better prepare for and more effectively respond to rapidly spreading infections. Novavax is committed to using its technology platforms to create geographic-specific vaccine solutions and is therefore involved in several international partnerships, including collaborations with Cadila Pharmaceuticals of India and LG Life Sciences of Korea. Together, these companies have worldwide commercialization capacity and the global reach to create real and lasting change in the biopharmaceutical field. Additional information about Novavax is available on the company's website: http://www.novavax.com.

About CPLB

CPL Biologicals Pvt. Ltd., a joint-venture biotechnology company established by Novavax Inc. and Cadila Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest privately held pharmaceutical companies in India based in Ahmedabad, manufactures VLP-based influenza vaccines developed by Novavax. CPLB has made rapid progress with the completion and validation of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which is now operational and capable of producing a significant volume of novel vaccine doses every year. This facility utilizes the identical single-use vaccine bioprocessing system that Novavax employs at its pilot plant in Rockville, Maryland.

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NOVAVAX, CPL Biologicals and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Announce Collaboration ...

Bank won't fund my medical course in England

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The Irish Times - Tuesday, July 17, 2012

DOMINIC COYLE

Q&A:Last June I completed a biochemistry degree in Dublin and moved to England to start graduate medicine. When I started to look for ways to finance the degree, I hit about a 100 brick walls. My parents are not in a position to fund me.

I went to the local branch of the bank, where I have always banked, and was told there were no such loans for graduate students but to apply for a student loan with a reduced rate APR. Although a four-year course, I was told to apply for the funds for year one and to review it in year two.

The initial 11,000 interest- only facility proved to be too little. When I went to top up my loan to 20,000, the student officer became involved. She was surprised that a loan for the four years wasnt put in place, but when I tried to get a four-year plan in place for a loan of 80,000, I was told I would need to put up front some sort of security. They released the extra money for first year but are looking for that security before releasing more funds and that they will probably want me to start full repayments on the loan.

The bank said they could look at topping up my parents mortgage on an interest-only basis and they could give me that money, but their mortgage isnt with the AIB. I cannot afford to make full repayments either until I am a qualified doctor in 2015. Essentially, I am making the interest repayments from the loan money.

I need to find a solution as my funds will dry up in August and if I cannot get the financial support I will have to quit college to get a job and pay back this 20,000 the bank has already given me.

Ms S.OB., England

There are two issues here. First, you are in an incredibly difficult position because of the rules covering grant aid across national boundaries; second, your bank appears to have been, at best, unhelpful in the mixed messages it has given on funding options, especially in your original application for financial support.

Desperate to fund your course, you have embarked without a clear four-year funding plan. I dont have a clear answer for you and am running your query as much in the hope that someone may provide an answer to your plight as anything else. If colleges are accepting cross-border students, I would assume there must be some funding options available as not everyone is in a position to fund 80,000 or more from their own, or their parents, resources.

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Bank won't fund my medical course in England

Dee Takemoto, Santa Cruz County Stories: Former professor stays busy in retirement as an author

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Author and scientist Dee Takemoto edits her latest book in her Aptos studio. takemoto taught biochemistry for 32 years at Kansas State University and recently published a book detailing the corn syrup/obesity relationship.

APTOS -- To Dee Takemoto, retiring from teaching biochemistry for 32 years at Kansas State has meant tackling books she's been meaning to write.

"I haven't really wanted to slow down yet," the 63-year-old Aptos resident said.

Takemoto published "Gaining Weight? High Fructose Corn Syrup and Obesity" in January, just wrapped up her first novel [science fiction, of course], and is finishing up a book about genetics and obesity. In addition to writing, Takemoto edits science journals from China, Korea and Japan.

While Takemoto used to study primarily diabetic retinopathy, she said she became interested in studying obesity after more and more of her students at Kansas State seemed overweight. She challenged them to omit corn syrup from their diets, which Takemoto said led them to lose an average of 40 pounds per person.

Takemoto said she decided to further study this connection in her book.

"I have a number of people who call me and say it's an easy diet to be on because you don't have to give up your favorite stuff," Takemoto said. "I'm just really committed to people losing weight."

Takemoto began her career in health and sciences at USC, where she earned a doctorate in molecular biology. She and her husband Larry Takemoto [he received a doctorate in biology from UCLA] were offered tenure-track positions teaching at Kansas State.

Moving to Manhattan Center, Kansas, took a bit of adjusting, said Larry Takemoto.

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Dee Takemoto, Santa Cruz County Stories: Former professor stays busy in retirement as an author